1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a flat panel display device, and more particularly, to a flat panel display device mounting structure on a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panel display devices include liquid crystal display devices (LCD) which are used widely, plasma display panels, and field emission displays which have been studied recently and may be applied to computers in the near future.
For convenience of explanation, the present invention will be discussed with respect to the LCD as an example of a flat screen type display device and a portable computer with the LCD device mounted therein.
Referring to FIG. 1, a general portable computer such as a laptop or notebook computer typically includes a body 100, a flat panel display device assembly 120 coupled to the body 100 via a hinge mechanism 124. The flat panel display device assembly 130 has a flat panel display module 130 and a display case 105 supporting the module 130. The body 100 has an input device 110 such as a keyboard. As a flat panel display module 130, the LCD is widely used in portable computers and flat screen monitors.
Referring to FIG. 2 which shows a conventional assembly structure of the LCD device applied to a conventional portable computer, the display case 105 has a back case 124 and a front case or frame 122 for mounting the LCD module 130. The back case 124 has an outer surface and an inner surface and connecting ribs 124a formed at the corners.
The LCD module 130 has an LCD panel 132, a back light device 134 fixed to the back of the LCD panel 132, and a metal sash or supporting frame 136 for assembling the panel 132 and the back light device 134 along the edge. The back light device 134 is shown in the cutway portion of FIG. 2.
At the corners of the metal sash 136, corresponding to the positions of the ribs 124a of the back case 124, a plurality of protrusions 136a having holes are formed.
For mounting the LCD module 130 to the case 105, the LCD module 130 is placed on the back case 124 and the holes of the metal sash 136 and the ribs 124a are fastened together preferably by screws 138. The front case 122 is coupled to the back case 124.
Hereinafter, the method of assembling the LCD device wherein the LCD module is mounted to the case using fasteners extending from the front toward the rear direction is defined as the front mounting method, and the assembled structure of the LCD module and the case made through the front mounting method is defined as the front mounting structure.
In the front mounting structure described above, since the protrusions 136a require additional space corresponding to the protruded width "d", the ratio of the display area of the LCD module to the fixed size of the case 105 is reduced.